Modular speaker design enabled by multi-material additive manufacturing

Abstract

One of the most promising features of additive manufacturing is ability to reduce part count and assembly by printing complex shapes. This feature is further highlighted by utilizing multi-material printing in which stiff and compliant materials can be deposited by the same system. Air-acoustic speakers are traditionally comprised of several assembled components with different material properties including a stiff enclosure, stiff diaphragm, and compliant suspension. In this presentation, we will describe a modular acoustic speaker design. The design consists of fully printed structural components (which are threaded together, and assembled with a voice coil and magnet). The basic design as well as printing process will be described and acoustic measurements reported. A range of printed designs, which can be interchanged among each-other will be presented, and future design ideas which take advantage of the printing process explored.